Geeking Out!

Just landed in SF, I’m so EXCITED to see the family.

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:38:18 -0400

Just landed in SF, I’m so EXCITED to see the family.

“There’s some deep, atavistic need women have to get together...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:00:00 -0400

“There’s some deep, atavistic need women have to get together with each other and talk. It’s as essential to us as food, shelter and love. Maybe it’s something ancient leftover in us from when the cavemen went off to hunt, and we sat in a circle with each other back at the cave, waiting. When we go a long time without this kind of female conversation we feel deprived. And when we do sit and talk, we feel better.”

-Lesley Stahl

I remember nights this year that I would actually CRAVE the companionship of my girlfriends. After long grueling days in isolated cubical life, I needed the chatter, laughter, tears, and support of my best friends.

I love you girls with my heart and soul. You both are like sisters to me. We are paving the way, skipping together through this crazy city girl life.

NERD WORD What the heck is Phishing? No, it has nothing to do...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:27:00 -0400

NERD WORD

What the heck is Phishing?

No, it has nothing to do with catching ‘Chicken of the Sea’ (couldn’t help myself with the pathetic joke). Phishing is the fraudulent attempt of someone trying to gain access to your credit cards, usernames, passwords, and other personal information by disguising themselves as a trustworthy entity. At times, they can disguise themselves as online banks or services like Paypal and EBay. They gain users trust, getting users personal information and later they perform illegal activity. I’ve had many emails requesting me to give personal information. Be afraid and aware that this activity goes on. As much as we all LOVE spending time trusting the Internet and all of its information, we must keep cognizant that this phishing exists.

GEEK FLAIR I know it’s summertime, but everyone needs a...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:04:21 -0400

GEEK FLAIR

I know it’s summertime, but everyone needs a little protection from search results on Google in the form of this fully honest hoodie. For the bargain price of 29 dollars, you can confess your search addiction and spark up conversation with other Google addled fame-balls.

URL4U Take it from me; dating in general is quite a DAUNTING...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:25:00 -0400

URL4U

Take it from me; dating in general is quite a DAUNTING process. For years now, I’ve been asking my Indian father to ‘PLEASE set me up with an arranged marriage!’. It’s a crapshoot out there and dating online is no different. Perhaps matching my DNA statistically with another will help me find Mr. Right (or at least Mr. Right Now- ha!). This week GenePartner.com a Switzerland based startup launched their DNA dating site, allowing its users (at a cool price of $199) to find their perfect match through a DNA test. All you need is to swab your cheek in the kit they provide and send your DNA back to the lab for testing.

What’s the big promise? Results show that genetic compatibility gives you a better chance at an enduring and successful relationship. Also, sex lives of genetically compatible partners are more satisfying (yippee!!!). Most important is that fertility rates are higher and the health of the baby is much better when a couple is genetic compatible.

I love it, now when you need an excuse to break up with someone, you can say, “It’s not you sweetie, it’s your DNA…”

DAILY DOOHICKEY Have you ever been on the way to an important...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:54:33 -0400

DAILY DOOHICKEY

Have you ever been on the way to an important event and had your phone battery ‘poop out’ on you? I’ve had this happen on multiple occasions, feeling completely lost without the connection of my cell phone. The battery life on the iPhone annoys me BEYOND BELIEF! I’m on my phone all day— out and about, emailing, surfing the web, etc. So, I decided to look for a better source. I’ve just stumbled upon a great alternative to the debacle of ‘dead phone syndrome’, it’s the Backup Battery for iPhone / iPod from RichardSolo.com. The lithium ion battery is fully rechargeable (thank goodness- I hate using AA batteries, as they contribute to our ever depleting environment). Also, you can snap the iPhone and battery together, enabling you to charge them both with the included charger. The casing is scratch proof and the battery can be recharged over several years without developing “memory”. My anxiety has now finally lifted after finding this necessary accessory for my beloved Mr. iPhone.

We were lip dub junkies in SF last year…

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:14:00 -0400

We were lip dub junkies in SF last year…

juliaallison: Guess which pair of rascals are flying to SF...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:08:00 -0400

juliaallison:

Guess which pair of rascals are flying to SF tomorrow morning?

It’s the one year anniversary of the first … uh … rather memorable visit.

We are armed with Canon cameras, 16 gb of memory cards, and an incessant desire to lip dub Journey.

We wish to make friends with the natives.

We’ll be there until Sunday. If you see us on the streets, say hello. We’ll take a photo with you and use many superlatives to tell you how great you are. We’ll mean it.

We’re very nice!

See you on the flip coast.

xoxo

julia and meghan

Last year’s trip was an incredibly eye-opening experience. First off, JA was quite addicted (and still is) to lip dubs. She had us lip dub to ‘Journey’ in every place we traveled. Some of these hot spots included the Jet Blue Terminal, the plane, the car, the Bathroom at the BH Four Seasons Hotel, and a local bar after the TechCrunch party, the list goes on and on… Pity that we still haven’t edited the VERY raw footage of our first steps into a ‘lip dubbing lifestyle’. I may need to post a snippet to give you an idea of exactly what transpired. It used to embarrass me to be so public, but I think I’ve now accepted it as a way of life (well, my life at least).

Another life changing moment in SF was seeing the release of the first iPhone. It had just come out and it BLEW MY MIND. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the fact that there was now a mobile device that could pull up web pages similar to the ones on my computer screen. Virtually, everyone I met that weekend had an iPhone. I was determined to get one, but had NO idea how I’d pay for it…

Who knew that one of the most romantic gestures I’ve experienced in my life would happen that weekend? A guy friend of mine saw me drooling over the iPhone and bought one for me as a surprise. The funny thing is I completely missed the que (I’m awful at surprises) as he had hidden it in my parent’s kitchen. It’s one thing when a guy buys you flowers, it’s another thing when he gets you a gadget (and not just any gadget - THE Gadget of a lifetime- my beloved iPhone). I know that most people would probably not find this story romantic in the least, but for me it was a gesture I still hold close to my heart. Anyways, enough with the mushy stuff…

I’m more than ready for this year’s trip to SF; I miss my family and desperately need a break from this fast paced discombobulating NYC lifestyle. As cosmopolitan as I try to be, I’m still an SF girl at heart. All I want to do this trip is enjoy my family; a home cooked meal, a hike in the hills, and of course, reconnect with our SF gang.

Last year, JA and I had a feeling that the trip would change our lives. We never thought it would be to this magnitude. I can’t wait to see you SF, home has NEVER looked so inviting…

This is one of the most brilliant ideas I’ve seen (read...

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:36:40 -0400

This is one of the most brilliant ideas I’ve seen (read full story).

Last night at the Soho House, I played in a ping-pong...

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:47:00 -0400

Last night at the Soho House, I played in a ping-pong championship and met some REAL players from The Naked Ping Pong Club. I tried to show off my aggressive paddling skills, in hopes that I can gain membership into their club. Ping-pong is the only sport that gets me pumped up enough to ‘talk smack’ at anyone that tries to cross me. I must thank my grandfather for this competitive ping-pong loving streak, who knew I’d be such an overzealous player into adulthood. Instead of purchasing a couch for my now barren apartment, I’m hoping to get a ping-pong table (yay!).

"I feel sorry for the person who can’t get genuinely excited about his work. Not only will he..."

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:03:56 -0400

“I feel sorry for the person who can’t get genuinely excited about his work. Not only will he never be satisfied, but he will never achieve anything worthwhile.”

- Walter Chrysler

Just in time for summer, you, too, can own a cool luxury Bentley...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:33:23 -0400

Just in time for summer, you, too, can own a cool luxury Bentley Laptop. Ego’s been making luxury laptops for quite some time, so it’s only natural that they ‘roll out’ (please excuse the obvious pun) this fancy schmancy laptop. The specs aren’t exactly as lovely as the car, so I’d suggest you save that spare 19k (£10,000) for something that will test-drive better than this snobby computer.

The Jinsei Game of Life pedometer, won’t let you play...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:28:00 -0400

The Jinsei Game of Life pedometer, won’t let you play their game by spinning the wheel until you take 300 steps. For $34 you can frustrate yourself in the midst of a leisurely walk with this confusing fusion of part game/ part pedometer. I have a hard enough time walking and chewing gum, playing a game may be for someone way more coordinated…

Whoa! I made the list— I may be #43, but I’m still...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:52:00 -0400

Whoa! I made the list— I may be #43, but I’m still on the list of Now Public’s most public news influencers of today’s digital world in New York city. Here’s the four factors of how they measure ‘publicness’:

Online Visibility

Presence on User-Generated Content and Social Networking Sites

Interactivity and Accessibility

The “R” Factor: Presence on Microblogging Platforms (Flickr, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.)

I think it was the Pound Puppy YouTube video that really put me on this list. In any case, I’m quite pleased to be on this engaging site amongst some REAL NYC influencers- CHEERS!!!

My TV-B-Gone DIY project actually works!!!

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:58:00 -0400

My TV-B-Gone DIY project actually works!!!

One of the main highlights of my weekend was a ‘Soldering...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:18:51 -0400

One of the main highlights of my weekend was a ‘Soldering Therapy Session’ (it’s kinda like art therapy, except with a soldering iron). I bought the Make Magazine’s TV-B-Gone kit and soldered up a storm amongst all the other brilliant HOPE conference attendees. Here is my Soldering 101 video, where I demonstrate how you too can burn innocent bystanders with a hot iron… (yikes!!!)

Meghan: Your shit is fucking stick.

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:01:00 -0400

Meghan: Your shit is fucking stick.
Me: Was that even English?
Meghan: I don't make English after midnight.

Julia is laughing at my inability to make any sense when I'm sleep deprived. I read this conversation and couldn't remember what I was even trying to say. Oh sleepy time is near, I can feel it cause my head is unclear...Now I'm rhyming-- it's really time to get some shut eye.

I use SD memory cards almost everyday to document all things...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:55:25 -0400

I use SD memory cards almost everyday to document all things close to my heart. It’s often annoying to pack a card reader on the road or remember to bring the USB cord to load my photos and videos. Julia has been using this fantastic little SD card by Sandisk that allows you to plug straight into a USB slot without an adapter. They have two versions, the latest Extreme III and Ultra II memory cards. The Extreme III series works in extreme conditions weathering temperatures of -25 C to + 85 C and offers a lifetime warranty- FANTASTIC!!!

Art, design, and technology are now merging together to create...

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:39:00 -0400

Art, design, and technology are now merging together to create the most outlandish ideas. At The Last HOPE conference, I was exposed to a sculpture that truly made caught me by surprise. In this video Randy Polumbo explains a project that mixes various LED dildos with solar panels. Who ever said technology couldn’t be SEXY?

(Please excuse the YouTube upload, Vimeo is having technical difficulties today- argh!)

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by...

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:43:00 -0400

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover”

-Mark Twain, author